Scutching and cleaning machine



March 13, 1934. J R NT LQSQAQB SCUTCHING m) CLEANING MACHINE 1 OriginalFiled Oct. 11. 1929 7 Shepts-She et l.

V Ejwwwfoz M81611 13, J. A. GRKNT SCUTCHING AND CLEANING MACHINEOriginal Filed Oct. 11,- 1929 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 anoemtoz fine CZ a 351flHom uu 4 v Max-ah H3, 1%4 J. A. GRANT L5A3 SCUTCHING AND CLEANINGMACHINE Original Filed Oct. 11, 1929 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 13,1934 J.A. GRANT SCUTCHING AND CLEANING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 11. 1929 7Sheets-Sheet 4 llllllllllllff/ [Ill/l/ll/l/ 4 4 F777 6 4 awuemtoz AL 1mcz arm w flue/m March 13, 1934. J GRANT 1,950,403

SCUTCHI'NG AND CLEANING MACHINE Q Original Filed 001:. 11, 1929 7Sheets-Sheet 5 vwemtoz 39 40 LIL 75/72 a grant. 4/ 13' 51171504014 March13, 1934. J. A. GRANT 1,950,403

SCUTGHING AND CLEANING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 11) 1929 '7Sheets-Sheet 6 772 a r n March 13, .1934. I J GRANT 1,950,403

SCUTCHING AND CLEANING MACHINE Original Filed Oct; 11, 1929 7Sheets-Sheet 1/5/72 @ranii @atentetl ii l reset Lbfihlilt SCU'ECWNG AND)CLEANENG MAC il'Grant, New York, No '32.

Application @ctober llli, 1929, Serial No. 399,051}

' llbenewed May llZi 1933 lb Claims.

invention relates more particularly to plant decorticating apparatusdesigned and adapted for efficiently and economically acting upon fibrecontaining plants, such as flax, ramie, hemp, etc, for the purpose ofcleaning the fibre, as by ecutehing. I

Because oi the inability of plant decorticating proposed prior to myentrance into the field, to meet the widely varying conditions ofthematerials to be scutched, such, for example, as those due todiflerent degrees of moisture content, atmospheric changes anddifierences in the structure of the plants or plant stems; the onlymechanism in general use to-day for such purposes is the old fashionedscutching wheel which has not been changed materially in the last onehundred years;- lts continued existence is due to the fact that it givesa regular number of beating strokes per minute and the actual amount ofbeating necessary for the material being scutched is regulated andgauged bya skilled operator who, by varying the time during which it issubjected to the scutching operation, can give it more or less workingin accordance with the requirements of the situation. The labor requiredis very severe, considerable skill is required, and

the output is quite small.

@ne dimculty experienced in the past in raising plants having bastfibres and extracting the fibres therefrom resulted from the fact thatthe plants had to be pulled by hand thus adding materially to. theexpense particularly in localities where labor costs are high.

This difilculty has been obviated largely by the use of devices formechanically pulling the plants. Furthermore, it has been necessary torot the flax before scutching it and such retting involves work,

delay and expense. The process of retting is not only expensive but alsoexceedingly obnoxious and it appears that profitable raising of fiax orhemp is almost impossible without apparatus which will clean the fibrewithout letting and there-. fore relieve the farmers from the necessityof carrying out this process.

According to the present invention it is proposed to provide apparatusto scutch the material, such as flax and hemp, without previouslyretting the same. Also the present invention avoids the production oftow by the whipping action which is involved in substantially all othermethodsand decreases the yield of straight fibre. For example, accordingto the present invention the yield -=of fibre in good condition is from28% to 30% of the weight of the de-seeded straw as compared with amaximum o'f from 12% to 16% of good fibre produced by other forms ofapparatus. It is also proposed to provide such apparatus which will becapable. oi. scutching rotted, as well as unretted material andin animproved mariner.

'lhe material can then be scutched and threshed (Cl. lb -23) on the farmin a single operation and the fibre can be shipped to a collectionpoint, preferably centrally located, and there treated as required, forexample, by water retting or chemical retting. This practice wouldrelieve the farmer of many dimculties heretofore encountered and wouldrender it possible to raise such bast fibre plants and separate thefibre therefrom in suitable condition lor shipping substantially withoutany requirements for employment of skilled labor. In fact the handlingof fibre plants of the class referred to would be simplified to such anextent asto involve in general no greater difliculties than thehaiidling of the ordinary grain crops.

Inasmuch as hast fibre plants, such as flax, can be raised in nearlyevery state of the United States, it is obviously a matter of very greatimportance to make it feasible for farmers in this country to raise theplants referred to andto prepare the fibre for shipping.

It is therefore an. important object of the invention to provideimproved scutching mechanism which will meet the requirements specified.An-

other important object of the invention is to provide means of the classspecified which is inexpensive to manufacture, easy and economical tooperate, and adapted for ready transportation and quick installation inreadiness for operation.

Dther objects of the invention are to provide novel plant treating meansadapted for varying the treatment to correspond with the nature andcondition of the plants to be treated; plant decorticating meanseffective. to clean either retted or unretted material; plantdecorticating means adapted to clean butts of plants (jute butts, forexample) and recover fibre which was lost heretofore; means forde-seeding and decorticating fibre producing plants in a singleoperation; and means for decorticating such fibre producing plantsrapidly and substantially without waste or destruction gt fibre.

Further objects will be apparent upon consideration of the followingdescription and the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a left end elevation of a machine embodying one form of theinvention, part of the structure being broken away to show details ofconstruction; i

Fig. 2 is a front elevation;

Fig. 3 is. a top plan view with parts omitted;

Fig. 3a is an end-elevation of a modified form of a part of the beaterportion of the machine;

Fig. 3b is a diagrammatic view on a larger scale illustrating thedescribed spacing of the blades irom right to left:

Fig. 4/is a section taken along'the line 44 of Fig. ,3; V

Fig.5 is a view in elevation of -apart of the right'end of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a section taken along the line '7-'7 of Fig. 5; I

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating details of feed rollreversing means;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary end view showing the movable blades of thepreferred form in substantially their lowest positions with reference tothe stationary blades;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to that of Fig. 9 but with the movable bladessubstantially in midposition;

Fig. 11 is an end view illustrating the machine as equipped with asuction casing forming part of 'means for withdrawing dust and waste,the casing being broken away to show underlying structure;

Fig. 12 is a detail view on a larger scale illus trating means forindicating the setting of the two groups of normally stationary bladeswith reference to the distances between the inner edges of correspondingblades of the two groups.

Fig. 13 is a view in elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 12 and asviewed from the right in such figure;

Fig. 14 is a detail view illustrating the relation between the flutedsurfaces of two cooperating rolls;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary view illustrating driving connections betweenupper and lower feed rolls, as seen at the left side of the machine; and

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15 but at the opposite side of themachine and showing parts of the driving means for the lower feed rolls.

In carrying out the invention, the material to be decorticated may beinserted between feed rolls and fed thereby to the mechanism by whichthe principal decorticating action is efiected as by beating thematerial (as it passes through slots or openings between the blades orblade sections of two groups of stationary blades or blade sections) bymeans of reciprocating blades also arranged in two groups withcorresponding blades of the two groups spaced apart to provide slots oropenings through which the material to be decorticated passes. Theblades of each group of stationary blades are spaced apart along thedirection of feed of the material at distance substantially greater thanthe thickness of the movable blades, and corresponding blades of the twosets of stationary blades are substantially in the same plane.

The arrangement of the reciprocating blades is similar to that describedfor the stationary blades; but the reciprocating blades are ofsubstantially less thickness than the width of the spaces betweenadjacent stationary blades in the same group so that the action on theplant material to be treated tends to be more in the nature of a beatingaction than of a scraping action and injury to the fibre is avoided, andthe width of the openings or slots between the reciprocating blades ofthe two groups and the length of stroke of these blades are such thatthe effective edges of these blades are projected only a short distancebetween the effective edges of the oppositely arranged stationaryblades, thereby tending to avoid injury to the fibre.

The material fed to the beating blades is more bulky as it reaches thefirst set of blades than when it reaches the last set, due to theremoval of some of the woody material by each set of blades as thematerial is fed past the same. It is therefore desirable to arrange theblades so that the space or slot between any two corresponding blades ofopposed upper and lower sets is less than the next preceding spacebetween two corresponding blades.

These spaces between blades of successive pairs are also adjusted toadapt the machine for use in cleaning or scutching different kinds offibrous plants. For example, flax being finer than hemp requires smallerspaces than hemp, and hemp being finer than jute requires smaller spacesthan jute. Also to prevent too harsh treatment-of the fibre, the actionof the scutching blades maybe cushioned as, for example, by providingspring support for certain of the blades so that they will yield whenthe pressure becomes too great.

The beating of the plant stalks between the stationary and thereciprocating blades tends to spread or fan out theforward ends ofstalks fed thereto by means holding them in position at their rear endsand it is, therefore, sufiicient for all practical purposes to introducethe stalks between the feed rolls in bunches and depend upon suchfanning action to give the proper spread thereto as they pass throughthe stationary and reciprocating blades. The distance of the nearest setof feed rolls from the beating blades affects to some extent thisfanning or spreading action and for this and other reasons it isdesirable to provide for varying this distance to meet the requirementsof the situation. It is also desirable to use fluted feed rolls in whichthe grooves are wider in proportion than the teeth or ribs, therebyavoiding u'ndue pinching of the fibre between the teeth of one of twocooperating rolls and the side walls of the corresponding grooves at thesurface of the companion roll.

It is also desirable to provide means for varying or regulating theproportional relation between the speeds of the reciprocating blades andthe feed rolls, means for varying pressure between two cooperating feedrolls, and means for reversing the feed rolls. Such regulation ofrelative speeds may best be eifected by minutely varying the speed ofthe feed rolls and consequently varying the speed of movement of thefibre material through the slots between the beater blades or bladesections. As a result of such regulation the beating of the material maybe made just enough to remove the woody portion of the material withoutinjury to the fibre. Such regulation is particularly necessary inscutching unretted straw or stalks in that such unretted material ismore brittle than the same material after retting. Inasmuch as thereciprocating blades normally reciprocate at the same speed, the slowerthe fibre material is fed therethrough the greater will be the amount ofbeating received thereby.

Referring to the drawings, the frame of the machine includes a base 18and two ends 19, and all of the moving parts of the machine are drivenfrom a shaft 20 journalled at opposite ends in the frame ends 19 andhaving keyed thereto a double sprocket wheel 21 driven by means of asuitable sprocket chain 22 connected with any suitable source of power.Also fixed on the shaft 20 is a gear 23 from which power is transmitted,by means of two successive double gears 24 and 25 arranged forsuccessive steps of speed reduction, to a gear 26 fixed on a shaft 2'7by which power is transmitted to a speed changer 28. Power istransmitted from the speed changer by means of a shaft 29 projectingfrom the speed changer and provided with a gear 30 meshing with an idlegear 31, which in turn meshes with a gear 32 fixed on a shaft 33.

also draw on the shait 33 are outer and inner gears 34 and 35,respectively, the gear 34 being connected with a gear 36 loosely mountedon a shait 3? parallel with the shaft 33, and the gear 35 connectedindirectly, by means of an idle gear 35, with a gear 39 loosely mountedon said she t 37, both of the gears 36 and 39 being, however, heldagainst movement along the shaft '37. Obviously the gears 36 and 39 arerotated in opposite directions and the shaft 37 may be driven-in eitherdirection oi rotation by coupling it to either of said gears looselymounted thereon. To this end there is provided a clutch member 40slidabie along the shaft 37 but held thereto to turn therewith, and thisclutch member is provided at opposite sides thereof with teeth tocooperate with corresponding teeth at the inner sides of thegears 36 and39. Control of the clutch member 40 may be effected by means of ashifter member 40a extending into an annular groove 41 extending aroundthe periphery of the clutch member, a shifter member or bar 42 slidablelongitudinally in a direction parallel to the axis of the shaft 37 andattached to said shifter member 40a to control the eiiective positionthereof, and a controlling shaft 43 having fixed thereon a pinion 4imeshing with a rack 45 preferably formed as a part of the member 42.This controlling shaft extends to any convenient position at the frontof the machine and, preferably, is provided with a handle 46 for turningthe same.

Fixed on the shaft 37 is a sprocket wheel 47 which is connected by meansof a suitable chain 43 with a sprocket wheel 49 fixed on a shaft 50projecting axially from one end of a lower feed roller 51 whichcooperates with an upper feed roller 52 in advancing the material to thescutching zone. At the opposite end of the feed roller 51 there is acorresponding shaft 50 and these shafts or shaft sections, which may beparts of the same shaft or may be stub shafts secured to the cylinder atthe ends from which they project, are iournalled in bearing blocks 53resting on the upper surfaces of parts of the frame ends 19 at the frontof the machine. The upper roll 52 is provided with shafts 54extending'from opposite ends thereof and journalled in bearing blocks 55posiiioned ediately above the corresponding blocks 53 and constructed sothat they can move into and out of recesses in said blocks 53. The feedrolls are fluted and arranged to mesh with each other.

When the upper and lower rolls of a pair are suitably pressed together,the upper roll will be driven by the lower roll even when the plants tobe decorticated are being fed therethrough. As here shown, however, theupper roll is positively driven with the lower roll by means ofintermeshing'gears 56 on the shafts 56 and 54 at the left side of themachine. Although the feeding of the material may be efi'ected by thesingle pair of rolls referred to, it is preferred to use two or morepairs, the lower roller of the second pair being driven from the lowerroller of the first pair by any suitable means such as a sprocket chain57 passing around sprocket wheels 58 on the shafts 56 at the right sideof the machine. Due to the positive driving connection between the upperand lower rolls oi each pair of feed rolls, the teeth and the notchestherebetween may be shaped so as to avoid crushing of the seed andfibre. In is, there are illustrated on a larger scale preferred ferns oicooperating fluted reed rolls,

5i and 52, in which the rolls are substantially the same in crosssection and the ribs or teeth 51a and 52a are made smaller than thegrooves (51b and 52b) and to such extent as to avoid crushing of theseeds and injury to the fibre in the fibrous material passingtherethrough to the scutching mechanism.

In order to control the fanning or spreading of the bunches of plantstalks passing from the feed rolls to the scutching devices proper. itis desirable to have the feed rolls adjustable as a group to and fromthe scutching devices. Such adjustability and also control of thepressure between the upper and lower rolls of each pair may be obtainedin the following manner. The parts of the frame on which the bearingblocks 53 of the lower rolls 51 rest are provided at their upper surfacewith slots 59 each having a cross section in the form of an inverted T,the upright portion of the T being of suitable width to receive theshank of a bolt 60 and the undercut portion of the slot at the crosspiece of the T being of suitable size to receive the head of the bolt.There is a bolt 60 for each pair of blocks 53 and 55 and the mainportion of the shank passes upwardly through a bore at the forward sideof the block 53. Near the top of the block 53 the bore has an enlargedor countersunk portion 61 adapted to receive a nut 62 cooperating with ascrew thread on the shank at this point. Obviously the block 53 may beclamped in any position along the corresponding slot 59 by tighteningthe nut 62. The main'portion of the shank of the bolt 60 terminatesbelow the level of the upper surface of the block 53 but a reducedportion 63 of the shank extends upwardly through a. corresponding borein the corresponding upper block 55 and above the top thereof. Each pairof bearing blocks 53 and 55 is secured in position along thecorresponding slot or in the same manner.

Preferably the two pairs of blocks at each side of the machine are keptclose together irrespective of their position along the correspondingslot. As here disclosed, the two sets of blocks are kept together bymeans of a.ba.r 64 having, at the proper distance apart, holes throughwhich pass the threaded upper ends of the reduced portions 63 of thebolts, and this bar which is limited as to upward movement by nuts 65screwed on the upper ends of said reduced portionsis also uti- 25 lizedin connection with the exertion of yielding pressure on the adjacentends of the two upper rolls 52 to produce the desired pressure betweenthe upper and lower feed rolls. Such pressure. is imparted by means ofsuitable helical springs 66, of which the lower ends are seated insuitable sockets 67 in the tops of the bearing blocks 55 and the upperends are in engagement with spring caps 68 mounted upon and held againstupward movement by screws 69 having screw threaded 35 engagement withthe bars 64. The upper ends of the springs 66 may be held in engagementwith the spring caps 68 in any suitable manner.

As will be brought out more clearly hereinafter it is desirable toprovide a fine adjustment of the speed of the feed rolls, for example,by means of a speed changer 28 which may be set for a consitlerablenumber of different speeds. As here illustrated, this speed changer isof a standard commercial type and is capable of being set fortwenty-four difi'erent speeds, three different settings being made byshifting the upper handle 28a and eight diiferent connections being madeby shifting the lower handle 28b while the upper handle is retained inany one of its three positions. 150

The plants to be decorticated are presented to the feed rolls over asubstantially horizontal feeding platform or shelf '70 which may beprovided with upright walls at its side edges, and under a pivoted flap71 adjacent to the forward pair of feed rolls; and pass from therearward feed rolls through openings or slots between upper and lowerblades '72 which are normally stationary and are spaced apart in thedirection of movement of the material being scutched, to receivetherebetween vertically reciprocable blades '73 which are also arrangedin upper and lower sets providing therebetween openings or slots throughwhich passes the material to be scutched or cleaned. The blades '72 ofthe lower set are arranged on edge-with their ends resting on the topsof members '74 extending transversely of the blades and slidably mountedat their rear ends on strong posts or guides '75 which extend verticallyfrom the main frame. As will be described hereinafter, means for guidingand controlling the forward ends of the members '74 may also beprovided.

These members or supports '74 for the blades '72 of the lower set areprovided with vertical projections '76 at their forward ends and withbolts 7'7 extending rearwardly therefrom through openings in the bladesand adjacent to their lower edges; through openings in suitable spacers'78 which serve to maintain the blades at proper distances apart; andthrough blocks '79 slidably mounted in undercut groove in the members'74. When these blades and spacers are properly assembled they areclamped rigidly in position by nuts screwed on the ends of the bolts '77at the rear of said blocks '79. The blades '72 of the upper set areassembled in like manner with members '74 corresponding with thesupporting members for the lower, but with the assemblage in invertedposition with respect to the assemblage containing the lower blades, thecorresponding blades of the upper and lower sets being in verticalalignment with respect to each other.

The members '74 are provided with vertical slots extending from theirrear ends to the bores through which the posts pass, and at the rear endof each of said members there is provided a suitable clamping devicesuch as a screw 81 passing loosely through an opening in the branch atone side of the corresponding slot and screw threaded into the branch atthe other side of the slot, thus enabling each member '74 to be clampedfirmly in any position to which it is adjusted. Under many conditions,however, it may be desired to avoid too harsh action on the fibrematerial being treated, and this may be effected by releasing the clampscontrolled by the screws 81 and supporting the normally stationaryblades by springs in a manner to be described hereinafter. The blades ofthe upper and lower sets should be maintained in positions with thelower edges of the blades of the upper set and the upper edges of theblades of the lower set at substantially the same distances on oppositesides of the generally horizontal plane of travel of the materialthrough the feed rolls and the beating or scutching means, and at thesame time thetwo sets of blades should be adjustable to vary the widthsof ,the slots between corresponding blades of the two sets.

As here disclosed, the two requirements just referred to are met byproviding at opposite sides of the machine vertical shafts 82, eachprovided p at suitable positions therealong with two oppositely arrangedscrew threads (right and left threads) cooperating respectively withinternal screw threads associated with the members or brackets '74;holding these shafts against vertical movement; and providing aconnection between the two shafts 82 so that the slots between theblades of the two sets will be varied in the same way at both endsthereof.

The holding of each shaft 82 against vertical movement may be effectedby providing it with a reduced lower end 83 extending downwardly througha portion of the frame, the shoulder at the upper end of the reducedlower end resting on the top of the frame; and by providing it with areduced upper end 84 passing upwardly through a suitable bore in ahorizontal block or member 85, the shoulder at the lower end of saidreduced upper end of the shaft engaging a washer which in turn engagesthe lower side of said bar. Although such shoulders on the shafts 82 maybe in direct engagement with the members with which they cooperate, itis desirable in many cases to insert wear resisting washers in suchpositions. The upper members 85 at opposite sides of the machineare'preferably connected by suitable means including a tie rod 87. Eachblock or member 85 is provided at its rear end with another bore toreceive the reduced upper end of the corresponding post '75 and is heldagainst the upward thrust of the shaft 82, associated therewith, bymeans of a nut 86 screwed on said reduced end of the post.

Connection between the two shafts 82 at opposite sides of the machinemay be effected by means of bevel gears 91 on the reduced lower ends ofthe shafts, and a cross shaft 92 provided with bevel gears 93 in meshwith the bevel gears 91. To facilitate the turning of the shaft 92, adisk 93a with a suitable eccentrically positioned handle 94 is fixedthereon, and the Widths of the slots between the correspondingblades ofthe upper and lower sets may be indicated by the positions, withreference to a fixed index or pointer 95, of graduations on a disk 96fixed on "adjustment of the members '74, the sleeve 97 must be heldagainst turning in said members and this may be done by any suitablemeans such as set screws 97a. Each of the sleeves 9'7 has at one end anannular flange 98, the sleeve 9'7 in each lower member '74 beingarranged with its flange at the upper side of such lower member and thesleeve 9'7 in each upper member '74 being arranged with its flange 98 atthe lower side of such members '74.

The hereinbefore mentioned guiding and controlling means for the forwardends of the members '74 will now be described. As shown in Fig. 4, eachlower member '74 is provided with a downwardly extending guiding pin 99attached at its upper end to such lower member 74 and slidable belowsuch lower member 74 preferably in a Wear resisting bushing 100 mountedina fixed part 01' the machine and enclosing this guiding pin is ahelical spring 101 interposed between such fixed part of the machine andsuch lower member to urge the same upwardly. Each upper member '74 is inlike manner provided with an upwardly extending guiding pin 99 slidablepreferably in a bushing 100 mounted in the forward end of thecorresponding block or member 85.

Preferably the upper and lower guiding pins 99 on the same side of themachine are in alignment. The springs 101 tend to hold the members 74against the fiange 98 so that, when the clamping or set screws 81 and97a are in loosened condition, the lower blades 72 can yield downwardlywhen the moving blades '73 approach the lower limit of their movementand the upper blades '72 can yield upwardly when the blades 73 approachthe upper limit of their movement.

As hereinbefore intimated one great difficulty heretofore encountered inusing slotted blades was that, in order to obtain a suitable cleaningefiect with certain materials, treatment with rigidly mounted blades wasJiable to cause consid erable damage to the fibre during the scutchingoperation. Such injurious action may be avoided in the machine of thepresent invention by operating the machine with the screws 81 and 97a inloosened condition (as stated above).

The reciprocable blades '73 are also arranged in upper and lower setswith openings or slots between corresponding upper and lower blades andthese openings are of almost the same width as the openings betweencorresponding stationary blades. Preferably, as indicated in Figs. 9 and10, the slots between corresponding reciprocating blades 73 are somewhatwider than those between corresponding stationary blades '72, thereciprocating blades '73 are of less thickness than the spaces betweenadjacent blades '72 of the upper set or of the lower set and thedistance between the upper and lower edges of these blades is such thatthey may have a sufiicient range of action without striking the spacers78 at the outer edges of the stationary blades.

In order to permit reciprocation of the blades '73 without interferencebetween the same and the stationary blades '72, the blades are ofsufiioient length to extend beyond the ends of the stationary blades andtheir ends are secured in yokes forks 102 by suitable means includingbolts or studs 103 extending through the sides of the yokes 102 and heldin position by engagement of their heads with the outer surface of oneside of the yoke and engagement of the outer surface of the other sideof the yoke by nuts 103a screwed on the other ends of the bolts.

Inasmuch as the blades '73 are supported entirely by the bolts 103,these bolts would be subjected to a great deal of wear if the bladeswere mounted directly thereon. Such wear may be avoided by use of wearresisting sleeves 104 fitting over the bolts and passing throughsuitable openings in the blades and in spacers 104a placed therebetween.The sleeves 104 are of suitable length to fit between the arms or sidesof the yokes and each sleeve is provided at one end with an annularflange 105 and at the other end with an external screw thread tocooperate with a nut 105:]. by means of which the blades '73 and thespacers 104a are clamped in position.

The yokes are fastened on reciprocatory rods or members 106 slidablymounted at the ends of the frame and these rods are connected by meansof links 107 pivoted at their upper ends to the vertically reciprocablerods 106 and at their lower ends to eccentric pins 108 mounted on theshaft 20 at the outer ends thereof, preferably on fiy wheels 109 eachprovided with a suitable counterbalance weight 110.

Preferably there is a suction hood 111 over the operating parts to drawoff the shives and convey them to any desired location, for example, toa standard winnowing machine.

In Fig. 3a, there is shown. a modified form of beater blade assembly, inwhich normally sta-- tionary blades 112 with slots 113 therein aremounted at their ends and at their upper and lower edges on rods 114extending transversely with respect thereto and secured at theiropposite ends in fixed members 115 parallel to the blades 112. Theconnection between the rods 114 and the members 115 may be effected inany suitable manner as by means of nuts 116 screwed on the threaded endsof the rods. The blades 112 are limited as to their movement toward eachother by spacers 117 mounted on said rods between the blades, and arepressed towards each other by springs 118 on the rods 114 with theirinner ends engaging washers 119 on the rods and engaging the outer sidesof the blades 112, and with their outer ends in engagement with nuts 120screw-threaded on the rods and serving as means for adjusting thepressure of the springs 118 on the blades 112. There is also areciprocable blade 121 positioned between the blades 112 and this blade121 is provided with a slot 122 corresponding in general to the slots113 in the blades 112. Obviously a single blade with a slot therein isthe equivalent of two separate blades held in fixed relation withrespect to each other with a slot or opening between the adjacent edgestain more or less permanent adjustments must be made. For example, thepairs of feed rolls, each pair including a lower feed roll 51 and anupper feed roll 52 are adjusted, with reference to their distancestoward and from the breaker blades '72 and '73, so as to obtain theproper amount of farming or spreading of a bundle of plant stalks to bedecorticated; the stationary blades '72 are spaced at suitable distancesapart by suitable spacers 78 and assembled in pairs of members orholders '74; and the reciprocable blades 73 of the upper and lower sets,are spaced at suitable distances apart by suitable spacers 104 and aresecured in yokes 102. If desired, the spacers between successive bladesmay be of selected thickness so, for example, as to meet therequirements for the materials to be scutched. When fed to the beatingblades, the material is relatively bulky as it reaches the first set ofblades, less bulky as it reaches the second set of blades, and stillless bulky as it reaches the third set of blades. This condition resultsfrom the removal by each set of blades of some of the woody portion ofthe straw; and, in view of this condition, a wide space may be leftbetween the first and second blades of each set, a lesser space betweenthe second and third blades of each set, and still less space betweenthe third and fourth blades of each set. Different adjustments may bemade for different fibrous materials, flax being finer than hemp andrequiring smaller spaces between the blades, and hemp being finer thanjute and requiring finer spaces between the blades than jute.

After such substantially permanent adjustments have been made, they willbe retained and changes in conditions may be met by other adjustmentswhich will now be discussed in connection with certain conditions whichrequire them.

With damp straw and in damp weather it is particularly difficult toobtain the desired degree of cleanness of the fibre. Satisfactoryresults can be obtained by varying the speed of the feeding rolls toobtain the proper reduction below normal speed and thereby subjectingthe plants to the beating action for a longer period. This results,however, in cutting down production.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention,increased beating can, in many cases, be obtained without decreasingproduction by varying the width of the slots between certain opposedblades of the same kind, preferably stationary blades '72 as here shown.When the screws 81 for clamping the holders '74 for the stationaryblades to the post are loose, the widths of the slots may be varied byturning the shaft 92. By this adjustment the degree of beating may, bynarrowing the slots, be increased without decreasing production.

For instance, if the reciprocating blades 73 have a slot of one inchwidth, the slots or openings between corresponding stationary blades 72are of three quarter inch width, and the reciprocating blades have a oneinch movement, the edges of the slots in the movable blades will in eachstroke pass the effective edges of the stationary blades one eighth ofan inch; but.upon decreasing the width of the slots betweencorresponding effective edges of the stationary blades more bending andconsequently more breaking of the straw will be effected. When the strawis dry and the woody matter breaks easily the widths of the openings orslots may be substantially the same for both sets of blades.

The normahoperation of a machine constituting the preferred embodimentof the invention has been brought out in the foregoing description; butin recapitulation it may' be said that upon feeding straw in bunchesoverthe shelf '70 to the feed rolls 51 and 52, the straw will beadvanced to the breaking blades and during its passage between the rollsnot only will the straw be broken to a certain extent but the seed bollswill be broken open thus allowing the seed to fall out. In order toavoid crushing of the seed and damage to the fibre, the rolls or rollers51 and 52 are so mounted and the fluted rolls are so shaped that theprojection of one of two cooperating fluted rolls will not engage thebottoms of the corresponding depressions in the other roll, andtherefore will not crush the seed.

From the feed rolls, the straw or like material passes through the slotsor openings of the fixed and reciprocating blades and the scutchingaction is completed, the cleaned fibre passing completely through andbeing discharged from sa d rolls at the rear thereof. It will be evidentthat, if, for any reason, it is found desirable to draw back the straw,for a freshstart or otherwise, such withdrawal may be effected by propermanipulation of the handle 46 or the ,shaft or rod 43 to reverse thefeed rolls.

Under certain conditions (due to characteristics of the availablelaborers, to the material to be scutched, or to both), it has been founddesirable to replace the feed rollers extending from side to side of themachine by two groups of feed rolls extending inwardly from oppositesides of the machine; the rolls at the right of the ma-.

chine (as viewed in Fig. 2) being driven as already described and therolls at the other side of the machine being driven from shaft 20 byseparate connections of the same general nature including the gears 32,36 and 38 (Fig. 1). In this arrangement there are separate controllingmembers 42 at opposite sides of the machine and they are operated byseparated shafts 43 and handles 46. According to the arrangement justdescribed the machine can be operated substantially as two machines ofhalf the width but in much more compact form than two separate machines.

It should be understood that various changes may be made in theconstruction and arrangement of the parts and that various parts may beused without others without departing from the true scope and spirit ofthe invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:-

1. In a decorticating machine, the combination of a member including twoblades with their effective edges spaced apart to provide a slot, asecond member including two blades with their effective edges spacedapart to provide a slot, means to effect relative movement between saidmembers to effect cleaning of fibre in fibrous material fed through bothof said slots, and

means for adjusting the width of the slot in one of said members byshifting both of the corresponding blades simultaneously.

'2. In a decorticating machine, the combination of a member including aset of blades arranged in pairs with the effective edges of the bladesin each pair facing each other but spaced apart to provide a slot forthe passage of the fibrous material to be decorticated, a second set ofblades arranged in pairs in like manner but with such pairs arrangedalternately with the pairs of the first set, and means for effectingrelative movement between the two sets of blades, and blade adjustingmeans whereby the blades of a pair are moved toward and from each othersimultaneously, the spaces between successive pairs of blades in eachset decreasing in the direction of movement of the fibrous material tocorrespond with the decrease in bulk of the fibrous material as thewaste material is gradually removed from the fibre.

3. In a decorticating machine, the combination of a set of substantiallyparallel blades ar-- ranged with the successive spaces therebetweendecreasing in the direction of movement of the fibrous material to becleaned, a second set of blades similarly arranged but positionedopposite to the spaces between the blades of the first set, means foreffecting relative reciprocation between such sets of blades, and meansfor effecting yieldable support for the blades of at least one of saidsets and thereby moderating the severity of the cleaning action.

4. In a decorticating machine, the combination of a set of bladesarranged in pairs with the effective edges of the blades in each pairfacing each other but-,,s paced apart to provide a 5. In a decorticatingmachine, the combine.-

tion of a set of blades arranged in pairs with the effective edges ofthe blades in each pair spaced apart to provide a slot for the passageof fibrous material to be cleaned, a second set of blades arranged inpairs in like manner but with such nee -ace pairs arranged alternatelywith the pairs of the first set, means for effecting relativereciprocation between the two sets of blades, and feed rolls adjustabletoward and from said sets of blades to vary the spreading in said slotsof fibrous material fed in bunches between said feed rolls to beadvanced thereby into the slots.

6. In a decorticating machine, the'combination of a set of bladesarranged in pairs with the efiective edges of the blades in each pairspaced apart to provide a slotfor the passage of fibrous material to becleaned, a second set of blades arranged in pairs in like manner butwith such pairs arranged alternately with the pairs of blades of thefirst set, means for effecting relative reciprocation between the twosets of blades, feed rolls adjustable toward and from said sets ofblades to vary the spreading in said slots of fibrous materialintroduced between said feed rolls, and means for varying the relativespeeds of reciprocation between the two sets of blades and of rotationof said feed rolls.

7. In a decorticating machine, the combination of a set of bladesarranged in pairs with the efiective edges of the blades in each pairspaced apart to provide a slot for the passage of fibrous material to becleaned, a second set of blades arranged in pairs in like manner butwith such pairs arranged alternately with the pairs of the first set,means for effecting relative reciprocation between the 'two sets ofblades, springs acting on the blades of one of said sets to urge theblades of each pair of blades in such set in a direction to close theslot therebetween, means for limiting the inward movement of suchblades, and means for varying such limiting means to vary the minimumwidths of such slots.

8. In a decorticating machine, the combination of a set of stationaryblades arranged in pairs with the effective edges of the blades in eachpair spaced apart to provide a slot for the passage of fibrous materialto be cleaned,'a set of reciprocable blades arranged in like manner butwith such pairs arranged alternately with the pairs of the first set,means for yieldably sup porting said stationary blades against movementdue to the striking action of the reciprocable blades, means foradjusting the width of the slots between the stationary blades, andmeans for reciprocating said movable blades a distance slightly greaterthan the width of the slots between the stationary blades.

9. In a plant decorticating machine, the combination of two cooperatingsets of breaker blades with the blades thereof arranged alternately,each set including pairs of substantially parallel blades spaced partalong the line of travel of the material to be acted upon and the bladesof each pair lying in the same plane with their opposed edges spacedapart to provide a slot for the passage of the material therethrough,means to efiect relative reciprocation of the two sets of blades, andmeans for varying the widths of the slots between the opposed blades ofone of said sets by moving the opposed blades towards and from eachother simultaneously.

10. In a'plant decorticating machine, the combination of two cooperatingsets of breaker blades with the blades thereof arranged alternately,each set including pairs of substantially parallel blades spaced apartalong the line of travel of the material to be acted upon and the bladesof each pair lying in the same plane with their opposed edges spacedapart to provide a slot for the passage of the material therethrough,means to effect relative reciprocation of the two sets of blades, andmeans acting simultaneously at opposite ends of the blades of one ofsaid sets for varying the width of the slots between blades of each pairin such set.

11. In a plant decorticating machine, the combination of two cooperatingsets of breaker blades with the blades thereof arranged alternately,each set'including pairs of substantially parallel blades spaced apartalong the line of travel of the mate'- rial to be acted upon and theblades of each pair lying in the same plane with their opposed edgesspaced apart to provide a slot for the passage of the materialtherethrough, means to effect relative reciprocation of the two sets ofblades, separate means at opposite ends of the blades of one of saidsets for varying the width or the slots between the blades of such pairsof such set, and connections between the slot varying means at suchoppostie ends to cause them to work in unison.

12. In a decorticating machine, the combina= tion of a pair ofsubstantial parallel blades, a blade positioned in the space between theblades of said pair, means for efiecting a relative movement between thepair of blades and the other blade to clean fibre passed therebetween,and means for yieldingly supporting the blades of said pair againstspreading movement.

13. In a decorticating machine, the combination of a set of bladesarranged in pairs with the effective edges of the blades in each pairfacing each other but spaced apart to provide a slot for the passage ofthe fibrous material to be decorticated, a second set of bladesincluding a pair of blades spaced to provide a slot therebetween andpositioned between two pairs of blades of the other set, means to enectrelative movement between the two 8%5 of blades, means to vary the widthof slot, in one set of blades by moving corresponding blades in oppositedirection, and means for yieldably supporting the blades of one of saidsets.

14. In a decorticating machine, the combination of a set of bladesarranged in pairs with the efiective edges of the blades in each pairfacing each other but spaced apart to provide a slot for the passage ofthe fibrous material to be decorticated, a second set of bladesincluding a pair of blades spaced to provide a slot therebetween andpositioned between two pairs of blades of the other set, means w efiectrelative movement between the two sets of blades, means to vary thewidth of slot, in one set of bladw by moving corresponding blades inopposite direction, and feed rolls adjustable toward and from said setsof blades to vary the spreading of ma= terial fed to the slots.

15. In a decorticating machine, the combination of a set of bladesarranged in pairs with the eifective edges of the blades in each pairfacing each other but spaced apart to provide a slot forthe passage ofthe fibrous material to be decorticated, a second set of bladesincluding a pair of blades spaced to provide a slot therebetween andpositioned between two pairs of blades of the other set, means forefiecting relative movement between the two sets of blades, means forvarying the width of slot in one set of blades by moving correspondingblades in opposite directions, and feeding meansadjust able to vary thespreading of material fed therefrom to the slots.

JIM A. GRANT.

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